MANITOBA GOVERNMENT PRESENTS PLAN TO FIX FINANCES, REPAIR SERVICES, AND REBUILD ECONOMY

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MANITOBA GOVERNMENT PRESENTS PLAN TO FIX FINANCES, REPAIR SERVICES, AND REBUILD ECONOMY The Manitoba government remains committed to making Manitoba the most improved province in all of Canada,

1 MANITOBA GOVERNMENT PRESENTS PLAN TO FIX FINANCES, REPAIR SERVICES, AND REBUILD ECONOMY The Manitoba government remains committed to making Manitoba the most improved province in all of Canada, focusing on policies and programs that will deliver transparent and responsible fiscal management, improvements to and sustainability of the services Manitobans rely upon, and opportunities for long-term economic development in the province s northern and rural regions, said Premier Brian Pallister. Today s speech from the throne outlines our government s ambitious vision for Manitoba including our commitment to build relationships based on respect and trust while we govern with the Manitoba values of integrity and inclusion in mind, making changes that will result in a stronger, safer and more prosperous province, said the Premier. Manitoba is once again open for business, offering a diverse economic base with areas of undiscovered potential ready for the expansion of existing businesses, development of our entrepreneurial talent and attraction of new investment and the opportunities it will bring. November 27, 2016 The government continues to pursue an ambitious but realistic agenda, committed to repairing services with a focus on improving the circumstances of Manitoba s most vulnerable citizens, while ensuring that all Manitobans experience better results from the programs and services they rely upon, Pallister said. Economic inclusion and opportunities for growth go hand in hand, said the Premier. When combined with investments in education, training, infrastructure and research, these efforts will create the kind of sustained growth and opportunity that will make our province a richer place, not only through the impact on our economy but also on the future we are creating for generations to come. Our love for this province unites us and our collective will to create a better tomorrow is strong, said Pallister. Ours is a government that is listening to Manitobans and engaging citizens in focused discussions about the future of our province. We will continue to welcome the input and advice of all Manitobans and to govern in a manner deserving of their enduring trust.

2 THRONE SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS The speech from the throne highlights priorities within three thematic areas Fixing Our Finances, Repairing Our Services and Rebuilding Our Economy. Fixing Our Finances: o complete extensive province-wide prebudget consultations with Manitobans and work on the Fiscal Performance Review to ensure investments are made in the areas that matter most to Manitobans; o reform the governance of major Crown corporations, abolishing the Crown Corporations Council and redeploying its resources to increase efficiency; o establish a Red Tape Reduction Task Force and create regulatory accountability through legislation; and o introduce a stand-alone referendum law to restore Manitobans right to vote on increases to major taxes. Repairing Our Services: o address the needs of Manitoba s most vulnerable children by developing a plan that will act upon the many outstanding reports and recommendations that have followed tragedies within the child welfare system; o improve access to justice and to reducing unreasonable court delays with a systemwide review focused on the efficiency of the justice system; o reform Manitoba s Employment and Income Assistance program and release a new provincial housing strategy to address homelessness, affordability and repairs to existing housing stock; o complete a comprehensive assessment of the health system via the Health Sustainability and Innovation Review; o focus on public education measures and other steps to counteract the opioid crisis facing Manitoba and warn Manitobans about the dangers of fentanyl-laced drugs; o form a provincial agency for doctor recruitment aligned with province-wide priorities of doctor recruitment and retention; and o create pooled retirement pension plans to provide a new option of saving for retirement for those Manitobans who do not have access to a workplace pension. Rebuilding Our Economy: o continue work on Manitoba s Look North initiative, a northern economic development strategy to create jobs, increase investment and ensure long-term stability for the region; o develop a long-term literacy and numeracy strategy with a focus on education through the early years and invest in professional development for educators and supports for school divisions; o eliminate the backlog of Provincial Nominee Program applications and partner with the federal government to improve the processing speed of visa applications; o implement a return-on-investment test to prioritize government investments in infrastructure including roads and bridges, water-management projects and social and cultural capital.

MLA EDITORIAL: THRONE SPEECH SETS AMBITIOUS VISION FOR MANITOBA Sarah Guillemard, MLA for Fort Richmond Our new government is setting a new course for Manitoba, leading to economic opportunity and

3 MLA EDITORIAL: THRONE SPEECH SETS AMBITIOUS VISION FOR MANITOBA Sarah Guillemard, MLA for Fort Richmond Our new government is setting a new course for Manitoba, leading to economic opportunity and improvements to front-line services while putting the province back on a responsible fiscal track. Our second Throne Speech outlines an ambitious vision, including a commitment to build relationships on respect and trust while we govern with integrity and inclusion, making Manitoba the most improved province in Canada. We are delivering transparent and responsible fiscal management. Our government will complete extensive pre-budget consultations we have begun with Manitobans, and continue with a fiscal performance review to ensure investments are made in areas that matter most. As well, we will introduce a stand-alone referendum law to restore Manitobans right to vote on major tax increases. Our new government is committed to ensuring all Manitobans get better results from the services they rely on. We will help our most vulnerable children by developing a plan to act on the many recommendations that have followed tragedies in the child-welfare system. We will also create a stand-alone Children s Advocate to enhance the independence of this office and to increase child-welfare accountability. We are completing a practical plan to significantly reduce the child-care wait list, and to reduce court delays by reviewing the justice system s efficiency. Our government will, as well, reform Manitoba s Employment and Income Assistance program and develop a housing strategy to address homelessness and affordability. Through a health-care sustainability and innovation review, our government will eliminate inefficiency and improve the entire health system s effectiveness. We are developing a strategy to improve mental-health and addictions services, focusing on education and other measures to counteract the opioid crisis and to warn Manitobans about fentanyl-laced drugs. In addition, we will form a provincial agency for doctor recruitment that considers the needs of urban, rural and remote communities. Our government is focused on long-term economic development, which hinges largely on Manitobans education and training. We will focus on fundamentals and develop a comprehensive literacy and numeracy strategy to provide children with skills to succeed. We will also increase financial support to post-secondary students, in part by leveraging more private-sector funds and by converting the Manitoba bursary program into a new grant for lower-income and Indigenous students. We will continue to work on our Look North strategy to create jobs and increase business investment in northern Manitoba, and will introduce our Premier s Enterprise Team that will help develop a provincial strategy for growth and diversification. Our government will establish a Red Tape Reduction Task Force to remove regulatory barriers, and will bring in legislation to create regulatory accountability. We will implement a return-on-investment test to prioritize investments in infrastructure, and will continue to engage Indigenous communities in eastern Manitoba and at Shoal Lake 40 First Nation on building roads and ensuring their communities benefit. Our government is listening to Manitobans. We will continue to govern for all Manitobans, fighting for changes that will create a stronger, safer and more prosperous province.

MANITOBA JOINS NEW WEST PARTNERSHIP TRADE AGREEMENT Premiers of Canada s four western provinces announced that Manitoba has joined the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, strengthening and

4 MANITOBA JOINS NEW WEST PARTNERSHIP TRADE AGREEMENT Premiers of Canada s four western provinces announced that Manitoba has joined the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, strengthening and expanding Canada s largest, barrier-free interprovincial market. With the inclusion of Manitoba, the partnership creates an open, common market of more than 11 million people, with a combined GDP of more than $750 billion. Business owners, community leaders and chambers of commerce from across Manitoba have long called for our province to pursue new opportunities for growth and reduced trade barriers, said Premier Brian Pallister. Joining the New West Partnership will bring these advantages. We look forward to working with British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan to expand opportunities and support stronger economies right across Western Canada. The agreement commits each jurisdiction to enhance trade, investment and labour mobility, and to remove barriers to movement of goods, services, investment and people within and between the provinces. The original New West Partnership Trade Agreement came into effect July 1, 2010, and has been fully implemented since July 1, For more information on the New West Partnership Trade agreement, visit GOVERNMENT OF MANITOBA CONCERNED ABOUT RELIABILITY OF EMERGENCY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM Manitoba s new government is concerned about the condition of the province s emergency mobile communications system, which is in a state of disrepair and has been in need of a decision regarding replacement since 2012, Premier Brian Pallister said recently. Manitobans trust that in an emergency they will be able to access the help they need on an urgent basis, said Pallister. Unfortunately, the system relied upon by public safety and public service agencies the police, fire, paramedics, and conservation officers who respond to calls for help is 26 years old and has reached the end of its service life. The Premier noted that replacement parts for the system have not been manufactured since 2003 and the previous administration was warned as early as 2008 that equipment would no longer be built or supported as of the end of Notifications were made in October 2012 that a decision needed to be made by the end of that calendar year if future service risks to the system were to be mitigated, said the Premier. The end of the year came and went, and still no decision was made by the previous government. As a direct result of that failure to act, Manitobans now face a system at risk of being rendered obsolete and a bill worth hundreds of millions of dollars if serious risks to public safety are to be avoided.

PROVINCE LAUNCHES NEW AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS GROWING OPIOID DRUG OVERDOSES The Manitoba government is launching a new social media awareness campaign in response to growing concerns over the

5 PROVINCE LAUNCHES NEW AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS GROWING OPIOID DRUG OVERDOSES The Manitoba government is launching a new social media awareness campaign in response to growing concerns over the number of reported overdoses due to fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid narcotic, Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen and Justice Minister Heather Stefanson announced this week. Speaking to students at a Winnipeg high school today and a rural high school in Steinbach in the afternoon, Goertzen said that a significant increase in fentanylrelated overdoses has been observed in the past few years, with this number expected to increase again in Fentanyl and other dangerous opioids are showing up in many drugs in our province, killing people of all ages and many backgrounds and putting non-users, including children, at risk, said Goertzen. This growing trend is of great concern and we recognize that we must expand our efforts to ensure that everyone, user or not, is aware that these drugs kill. The minister said the new social media awareness campaign, funded through the Federal Proceeds of Crime Fund, is needed to educate people about the dangers posed by these drugs to both users and nonusers and their presence in common recreational illicit drugs. The ministers explained the new campaign s focus is on prevention and aims to create awareness for every Manitoban. They added it is imperative that everyone understand that illicit use of fentanyl and other opioids can have devastating impacts. In addition to the social media campaign, public health officials continue to look at both immediate and longterm actions needed to prevent and respond to overdoses in Manitoba. The Manitoba government is developing a program to distribute naloxone to high-risk injection opioids users across the province. Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of opioids, preventing accidental and potentially fatal overdoses. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority launched a naloxone program earlier this year and several lives have been saved thanks to the availability of these kits, Goertzen noted. In addition, the province is seeking a national restriction on pill presses and supports the recently announced effort by the RCMP to reduce the importation of illicit opioids from China. The first phase of the new social media awareness campaign launches today on the Manitoba government Twitter at For more details, visit Fentanyl is a danger to everyone, it does not discriminate, said Stefanson. First-time users, longtime addicts and innocent bystanders are all at risk of harm when faced with the increased presence of these drugs in our communities.

PREMIER ANNOUNCES IMPROVEMENTS TO PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM Enhancements to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) will improve processing times and fast-track nominations to provide

6 PREMIER ANNOUNCES IMPROVEMENTS TO PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM Enhancements to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) will improve processing times and fast-track nominations to provide job-ready, skilled workers, including international students, with opportunities to build a prosperous future in Manitoba, Premier Brian Pallister announced this week. Immigration is a driver of economic growth, a way to address targeted labour market needs and a gateway for innovation in our economy, said the Premier. The renewal of Manitoba s Provincial Nominee Program will ensure our province continues to attract skilled workers and entrepreneurs with the potential to make the strongest contributions to our economy soon after their arrival in Canada. The MPNP has made significant contributions to Manitoba s economy since its introduction in 1998, the Premier said. The Premier noted the changes announced today are part of a new Labour Market Strategy for Immigration that focuses on: creating businesses in all regions of the province; and the elimination of the current MPNP backlog by April 2017 to ensure all future applicants receive a higher standard of service and are processed in less than six months. In addition, revenue generated by new application fees for skilled workers and existing fees for business applicants will be re-invested into improving program service standards, performance measurement and services to support the economic integration of immigrants and refugees at no additional cost to Manitobans, the Premier noted. Manitoba is once again open for business, offering a diverse economic base with areas of undiscovered potential ready for the expansion of existing businesses, development of our entrepreneurial talent, and attraction of new investment and the opportunities it will bring, said Pallister. Renewing Manitoba s Provincial Nominee Program will facilitate the inclusion of skilled immigrant workers as an integral part in the development of our labour market and Manitoba s economy as a whole. innovative partnerships with industry and postsecondary institutions that build pathways to employment for international students and skilled newcomers, including those in regulated occupations, to better prepare and match them to in-demand jobs in Manitoba; the selection of skilled workers with high potential for early and strong attachment to the labour market and who meet education, training and language requirements; the selection of entrepreneurs with a strong potential to establish high-investment, job-

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT HOSTS ROUNDTABLE ON AEROSPACE AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, CALLS ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ACT ON COMMITMENTS TO MANITOBA The Manitoba government hosted leaders from the province

7 PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT HOSTS ROUNDTABLE ON AEROSPACE AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, CALLS ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ACT ON COMMITMENTS TO MANITOBA The Manitoba government hosted leaders from the province s large and growing aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors at a roundtable that focused on building upon the industries existing strengths by making progress on the construction of the Factory of the Future, previously announced by the federal government and the National Research Council (NRC), said Premier Brian Pallister. Manitoba s aerospace sector is world-class, said Pallister. We have the largest aerospace presence in Western Canada, employing more than 5,400 Manitobans in high-value and high-skilled jobs. Our province and our partners in aerospace and advanced manufacturing are poised to benefit from the development of a Factory of the Future here in Manitoba. But in order for those benefits to be realized, this facility needs to move from discussion to construction in the very near future. According to the NRC, the Factory of the Future program is designed to support technology advancement in Canadian manufacturing by giving Canadian companies access to state-of-the art technology, NRC expertise and support in composites and biocomposites manufacturing, design and simulation, information and communication technologies, processes and systems. The Winnipeg facility was announced by the federal government in June Additional facilities have been announced and are progressing as part of the NRC s Factory of the Future program in Montreal/Boucherville, Ottawa and London. Significant efforts and investments have been made by governments and industry in the Manitoba aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries, said Stefanson. Industry and government are united in the importance of this project and the sensitive nature of its construction timeline and we urge the NRC and the federal government to move quickly on the construction of this facility. The roundtable representatives were from Manitoba Aerospace Association, Composites Innovation Centre, Winnipeg Airports Authority, WestCaRD, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, the Manitoba and Winnipeg chambers of commerce as well as manufacturers Boeing Canada, Precision ADM, StandardAero and Magellan Aerospace. Participants representing the Manitoba government were Premier Brian Pallister, Deputy Premier Heather Stefanson, Growth Enterprise and Trade Minister Cliff Cullen, and St. James MLA Scott Johnston. VISIT THE LEGISLATURE S OPEN HOUSE!

Premier Brian Pallister with Paramedics at the

Norbert) and James Teitsma (Radisson) attending the LITE

Morley-Lecomte with members of the Hindu Society of

Leaders in calling on Ottawa to commit to the Factory of

Relations Minister Eileen Clarke addresses the

8 Premier Brian Pallister with Paramedics at the Legislature MLAs Jon Reyes (St. Norbert) and James Teitsma (Radisson) attending the LITE Wild Blueberry Pancake Breakfast Seine River MLA Janice Morley-Lecomte with members of the Hindu Society of Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, Ministers Cliff Cullen and Heather Stefanson, and St. James MLA Scott Johnston joined Manitoba Aerospace Leaders in calling on Ottawa to commit to the Factory of the Future in Winnipeg Indigenous and Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke addresses the Association of Manitoba Municipalities House Leader Andrew Micklefield meets with the Long Term and Continuing Care Association of Manitoba

Speech from. the Throne. At the Opening of the Second Session of the 41st Legislature November 21, The Honourable Janice C. Filmon, C.M., O.M.

Speech from. the Throne. At the Opening of the Second Session of the 41st Legislature November 21, The Honourable Janice C. Filmon, C.M., O.M. Speech from the Throne At the Opening of the Second Session of the 41st Legislature November 21, 2016 Delivered by: The Honourable Janice C. Filmon, C.M., O.M. Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Manitoba